


One and the Same

by write4love8



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Coming of Age, Drama, Family, Family Angst, Family Drama, Gen, Kara Danvers & Lena Luthor Friendship, Lena Luthor-centric, Parent Lena Luthor, Parent-Child Relationship, Single Parent Lena Luthor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2018-12-10 09:33:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11688876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/write4love8/pseuds/write4love8
Summary: Lena Luthor finds her life turned upside down and inside out when a Metropolis Social Services worker arrives at L-Corp. In discovering that she has a ten-year-old niece, Lena must not only learn how to become a parent but also how to get to know this girl she's never met. Things become even harder when Lena discovers that the child's mother was not all she seemed and the DEO gets involved in their lives.





	1. Chapter 1

** **

Today’s meeting was all she could think about. Members of the second largest Tech Corp in China were arriving to potentially partner on L-Corp’s newest technology. The presentation was ready. The arrival team and welcome committee were already getting them settled into the conference room. Yet Lena felt like something was still off.

She brushed it off as her nerves simply getting the better of her. This was a huge deal; she couldn’t risk messing it up. As she made her way down the corridor, she straightened her posture, brushed the wrinkles from her skirt, and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, “Ms. Luthor?” She continued walking as her assistant––a mousy little woman that always wore a gray pencil skirt and a frumpy yet professional sweater-vest–– scurried after her. “Ms. Luthor, there is someone here to see you.”

“I’m about to step into a very important meeting, Miss Lewis,” Lena stated firmly. “Have them call me at a later time or set up an appointment like everyone else.”

As they approached the conference room, the petite assistant blocked Lena from entering. “It’s a representative from social services… from Metropolis, Ma’am. I figured it couldn’t wait.”

Lena sighed and rolled her eyes. This couldn’t have happened on any other day but today? She nodded. “Move my other meetings to a later date. Mr. Caulson,” she turned around and began walking back, “please inform our guests from China that I will have to move our meeting to tomorrow. Make dinner reservations for them, no less than five stars this time. And Miss Lewis, have some champagne and theatre tickets sent to their hotel rooms as a personal apology.”

“Yes, Ms. Luthor.”

Her heart raced from the frustration boiling inside of her. While it was normal for things like this to come up in business, it didn’t mean she had to like it. And of all things, social services? What had Lex done this time?

“Ms. Luthor.” A woman about the same age with light brown hair pulled into a ponytail held out her hand. “I’m Delilah Parker with Metropolis Social Services. It’s a pleasure.” She wore a basic white, long-sleeved blouse tucked neatly into navy blue pants. Her smile seemed genuine, though Lena couldn’t get a proper read. That was rare.

“I hope this is important, Ms. Parker.” She gripped the woman’s hand in a firm shake.

“I’m afraid it is. Might we talk somewhere in private?”

“My office,” she directed the worker towards the door, having her assistant shut it behind them. “Now,” Lena made her way to her sleek executive steel frame desk and sat back in her chair, “Can I ask what this visit is about?”

“It’s about your niece, Ms. Luthor.”

O-o-O-o-O

Lena couldn’t look at the woman throughout the conversation, and she remained silent five minutes after. She stood from her desk and walked to the mini bar in the corner of the room. After grabbing a glass and a bottle of the strongest liquor there, she paused.

“Does Lex know?”

Ms. Parker nodded, “Mr. Luthor has been informed of his daughter’s existence; however, due to his current sentence he was forced to relinquish all rights to the child and has done so.”

 _Forced,_ she snorted to herself. _No one forces Lex to do anything._ Lena turned to face the social worker. “But then why me? Surely her mother had some—”

“Ms. Luthor, I’m afraid you are the girl’s only living and legal next of kin.”

The young L-Corp executive set down the glass. “Okay then…” she sighed. Her shoulders wanted to slump forward but years of being a businesswoman and a Luthor wouldn’t let them.

“The choice is still yours whether the girl is placed into your custody or put into the foster care system,” Ms. Parker added. 

Lena shook her head. This was too much, too fast. How could this woman expect her to just make a decision like this so quickly? Exactly thirty minutes earlier, she didn’t have a niece. Now it was her ultimate decision that decided this child’s fate? For a moment, all she wanted was to walk out of that room and pretend Delilah Parker had never shown up; pretend and start the day over like it was supposed to go.

“H-How long?” She stuttered as she caught her breath. “How long do I have to decide?”

“I could probably get you a week at most before a decision has to be made.” Ms. Parker reached into her pocket and pulled out a card. “Once you decide, we will need to you come to Metropolis for a brief meeting to sign some paperwork either confirming the guardianship or relinquishing rights to the girl. We will cover all of your travel expenses if you so desire.”

Lena took the card and nodded.

“I’ll be in touch, Ms. Luthor.”

As the door shut, Lena stood frozen. Such a short dismissal for such a life-altering conversation. She looked around her now empty office dazed and confused. How the hell was she going to make this decision? She could feel her heart beating fast as the thoughts buzzed like incessantly annoying flies. Sitting back down at her desk, she glanced over at the phone. 

Maybe she shouldn’t have been alone with her thoughts then. Suddenly, before she could stop herself, she felt her fingers dialling that familiar number. After a few rings, the other side picked up. 

“Kara?” Lena could just feel a sense of comfort returning. “Hey. Are you doing anything tonight?” She waited for the response. “Great! I was wondering if you’d like to meet up for drinks? I-I could really use someone to talk to.”

O-o-O-o-O

“So what are you going to do?” Kara asked.

Lena buried her face in her palms and sighed deeply. She shook her head. “I have no idea.”

“Well…” Kara shrugged. “Do you _want_ to take her in?”

Again, Lena shook her head, this time letting out a small anxious chuckle. “It’s not about what I want. It’s about what’s best for this ten-year-old girl.” She laughed again. “I mean… can I honestly say that I would be the best option for this kid?”

“I would,” Kara replied. Their eyes met. She smirked. “You’re her family, Lena. The only family she has left.”

“She doesn’t even know who I am. And if her mother was smart, she probably doesn’t know about Lex either.” Lena stared at the drink in her hand. “Considering who we are, what the Luthor’s are known for, wouldn’t that kind of reality just destroy a child?” She took a large sip. “Just think of the things I’ve had to deal with between my mother and brother. I’m an adult and could barely handle it.” She paused. “Maybe… maybe it’d be best if she had the chance to grow up… _not_ being a Luthor.”

“Maybe… or… maybe it’d be best if she had someone who understands her.” Kara waited for Lena to look at her again. “Lena, you know exactly how this girl feels right now. She’s alone and probably scared. The same way you were when you came to National City after your brother’s arrest. When you swore that you could reform the Luthor name and use L-Corp as a force for good. When Lillian managed to frame you for crimes you never committed.”

The breath groaned out of her as her head dropped to meet wood. “Just because I know how this girl feels,” she told the countertop, “doesn’t mean I’m capable of taking care of her.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Kara replied easily. Always so easily. Lena peaked an eye out at her anyway. “But the way you handled those situations, with your strength and courage… your determination.” Kara nodded. “That, to me, sounds like some of the best qualities a parent or… a legal guardian... could have.” She gave deep sigh. “But of course, this is your choice. You’re smart, Lena,” she said. “I’m confident that you’ll make the right decision for this girl.”

O-o-O-o-O

**Two Days Later**

As she emerged from the arrival gate, Lena finally spotted a familiar face walking towards her. She took a deep breath.

“Welcome back to Metropolis, Ms. Luthor.” Delilah Parker held her hand out for Lena to shake. With a smile, she said, “Let’s get those paper signed, and then you can meet your niece.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the lovely reviews, kudos, and follows to this story. I'm thrilled that you are excited about its potential. Please keep the reviews coming! I love feedback and hearing readers' input. Thank you and enjoy Chapter 2!

Lena sat in a dry and dusty office with her lawyer and the social worker, Delilah Parker. The hours didn’t seem to pass quick enough. This problem wasn’t helped by her lawyer–– a graying, bespectacled man in his seventies–– who wasn’t the most lively of sorts. She just kept her mind on the one thing that mattered. This little girl wouldn’t be alone. Perhaps, she thought a bit selfishly, she wouldn’t be alone either. While it wasn’t her main reason for taking the child in, it lingered as the droning from her lawyer went on. _Another Luthor,_ she thought. This girl could be someone who understood her, unlike the rest of her family and most of the world.

She had listened to numerous legal terms—many of which she didn’t understand—and signed there… _and there_ … initialed here and there. She was given the entire spiel about her new responsibilities and the rules she had to abide by in order to keep her niece. 

As all three of them stood, chairs scratching on the hardwood floor, she suddenly felt it. It was that realization that her life had just changed drastically. She could feel the lump forming in her throat, the weight settling in her chest, as she heard the squeak of the office door hinges. Her heart raced and her palms sweat more and more with every click of her heels to the floor. _Calm and cool,_ she repeated in her head. A Luthor’s fear was never to be shown. 

However, she couldn’t help but freeze after turning the corner. Her mouth hung open. “Oh my god,” escaped from her lips in quiet breath. They stood ten feet apart, yet she needn’t to move any closer. “She looks just like Lex.”

She could remember every feature from the moment they had first met: his thin brown curls, his calm smile and full lips, the innocence and immense intelligence in his eyes. It was as if he’d cloned himself. _Don’t go there, Lena._ She quickly shook that thought from her mind. 

The girl wore a pair of purple jeans, the bottoms worn and shredded from where they were too long and the girl had stepped on them repeatedly. Her shoes looked as if they were the only pair she owned, also dirty and falling apart. Underneath her puffy, black winter coat–– probably from Salvation Army–– she had a simple white t-shirt. A male social services worker stood beside her with his right hand on her shoulder and a Jurassic Park backpack in the other.

Ms. Parker gestured for the pair to approach seeing as Lena, though she wouldn’t admit it, was too nervous to do so herself. “Ms. Lena Luthor I’d like you to meet Eleana,” she smiled. “Ellie.”

Lena stared into a pair of beautiful hazel-green eyes —it was the only feature of hers that differed from Lex. She smiled softly. “It’s very nice to finally meet you.” Ellie remained still and quiet. 

After an awkward pause, Lena took a deep breath and bent over to meet the girl face to face. “I know this is going to be a bit strange for a while, getting used to all of these new things,” she said. “But I promise that I’ll do the best I can.” 

She smiled again with no reaction from the child. Finally after another drawn out silence, Lena looked to the floor and straightened up. She glanced to Ms. Parker for some sort of guidance on what to do next. The other worker passed the surprisingly light backpack to her while Delilah placed a hand on Ellie’s back. 

Lena glanced behind the broad-shouldered male worker, as if looking for a suitcase or any other bags. “Is this the only-?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he replied.

She couldn't comprehend it; ten years of this girl's life, all of her possessions, stuffed into one tiny child's backpack. She just nodded as to say thank you before turning toward Ms. Parker. 

“I guess it’s time to get your two on your way back to National City, then.” She began guiding them down the long corridor. “Please feel free to call if you need anything.”

“We will. Thank you.” _We,_ she repeated in her head. _That’s what it is now. We._ She glanced down at the young girl walking beside her and gripped the backpack handles tightly. With a deep breath, she looked ahead, praying that she hadn’t just made a big mistake.

O-o-O-o-O

Lena stared at the fine white door frame of what used to be her guest room, now her niece’s bedroom. The door had remained shut since they had arrived home, and Lena didn’t know what to do. Another hour had gone by and again she stood there debating with herself whether or not to knock, or speak, or go back to the living room couch and wait for the girl to come out on her own accord.

She leaned against the molding, rested her head on wall, and fought with herself over what she should do. Eleana still hadn’t spoken to her. At one point Lena wondered if Delilah Parker forgot to mention that she was mute. There had been some glances on the plane and in the car, a few nods here and there— well, Lena couldn’t really determine if they were nods— but still no words. As if that hadn’t been bad enough, reporters and cameras had swarmed them at airport and the apartment complex. If they weren’t already having a difficult time, she could hardly imagine what the reporters’ “stories” were going to do. Twelve hours in and, more and more, Lena was beginning to think her decision was the wrong one. _Maybe she really would be better off in foster care..._

Suddenly, the ringing of the doorbell managed to distract Lena from her thoughts. With a grateful sigh, she swiftly moved down the corridor to answer it. One click of the handle and a rush of comfort washed over her. The sight of her quirky, blonde best friend always managed to do that.

She greeted Lena with two packed bags of Chinese take out. “I’ve got potstickers and eggrolls.”

Taking the bag from her left arm, Lena chuckled. “You’re a lifesaver.”

They strolled into the kitchen and set the bags down on the granite counter top. As they pulled out the crazy amount of food that Kara had brought, she couldn’t help but notice Lena’s wrinkled forehead. There was something on her mind that she needed to get out. 

“So how’s everything going?” She asked.

“It’s going… pretty well.” Lena replied unable to look at her best friend directly.

Kara chuckled, “Considering the family you come from, you’d think you’d be a better liar.”

The brunette finally looked up with a nervous smile, her hand lingering inside the bag in front of her. She pulled out a small container of rice and shook her head. “She won’t speak to me; not a single word since the moment we met. She’s been locked in her room most of the time and every time I’ve tried to get to know her… nothing; not even a blink.”

“It’s only been one day, Lena,” Kara reassures her. “You just have to be patient. Things will get better.”

“And if things don’t get better?” Lena asks.

“It will.” Kara nodded. “Trust me. When I was taken in by my foster family, it took a while for me get used to a world I had never known.” She caught herself quickly. “I mean… this is all new for her. And it’s a lot.”

Lena nodded. “You’re right. I guess…” She fixed her posture, bowing her head to the counter. “...I don’t know. I was so young when the Luthor’s adopted me. I- I never really needed to assimilate to anything. Too young to understand it all, I suppose.” She grinned at her friend, though the flood of confusion remained in her eyes. 

After a long pause, she let out sigh and looked down at the amount of food Kara had brought. It was probably enough to feed the entire apartment complex. She chuckled to herself.

“I know,” Kara admitted. “I was hungry when I ordered.”

“Clearly,” Lena teased. “Do kids even like this stuff?” She cracked open a container sweet and sour chicken. 

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice chimed in, “Are there noodles?” Her voice was hesitant and soft, the tone genuinely curious. 

Lena’s blue-green eyes widened in a mixture of dismay and relief. “Uh…” she fumbled over her words, “ye- yeah.” She scrambled around for the correct container and a utensil.

Kara wasn’t sure she had ever really seen her best friend this flustered before. And this wasn’t something the normally well-collected businesswoman was just nervous about; she was sincerely afraid. Of what, Kara was unsure of yet. Perhaps doing wrong by this child, or fearing she may never be able to connect with her. It was strange though; this new, very lost side of her.

Looking up, Lena finally remembered that she had to introduce Kara. “Oh… Eleana, this is my friend Kara.”

“Nice to meet you,” Kara offered a little wave.

With a gentle smile, the girl approached and stood at the high top kitchen island. She took the little container from her aunt. Lena watched the girl stare at it for a moment before looking up at her. “Can I take it to my room?” she asked. 

“Yeah.” Lena replied quickly. “Of course.” 

Kara watched the excitement in her eyes turn to slight disappointment, though she managed to keep it masked with a grin until Eleana left the room. As Lena’s gaze dropped back to the countertop, Kara took a breath. “It’s a step in the right direction. You’ll get there.” As she watched the other woman nod her head not-so-convincingly, she reached for the potstickers and a pair of chopsticks. She held them out like a peace offering with that smirk no one could manage to deny.

Lena smiled back, taking the package of wooden sticks. “Yeah,” she sighed quietly. “We’ll get there.”

O-o-O-o-O

An hour after Kara had left, Lena found herself staring at the closed bedroom door once again. Her right hand tightly gripped the silver knob as she slowly pushed and peeked into the dimly lit room.

The girl had fallen asleep on top of the bed, not a single blanket or sheet out of place. Still fully clothed in her t-shirt, purple jeans, and ratty shoes, she clutched a very old-looking and beaten up stuffed dog. It was stained with dirt and had a few torn steams; one of the ears looked as if it had been sew back on several times. 

The room was exactly the same; Eleana hadn’t touched a thing. The Jurassic Park backpack lay on the floor beside the bed. It was only opened a few inches, just enough to retrieve the stuffed animal. It still felt like no more than a guest’s room.

Lena crossed her arms over her chest as she quietly walked toward the bed. Remnants of tears stained the pillow and the stuffed dog. She stared at the ten-year-old’s pink cheeks a began to remember what it felt like. _Her father, Lex, Jack…_ She could feel the tightening in her chest for the people she had lost. She sat at the bedside, her eyes never straying from the sad, innocent little face. With calm hand, she brushed a few stray curls from her niece’s face and wished that she could take that pain away. 

“We’ll get there,” she repeated as she stood back up and grabbed the extra quilt still perfectly folded at the end of the bed. She covered Eleana and glanced at the girl one more time before turning out the light and closing the bedroom door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all. Apologies for the delay in posting. I am a full time teacher and fall is a tough time to find time for writing, but I managed it! I hope you all enjoy chapter 3!

Eleana’s hazel-green eyes opened slowly as the sunlight streamed through the windows. She stretched her short legs towards the end of the queen-sized bed, brushing her toes against the soft quilt. Curling them back into the fetal position she had slept in, she burrowed her face in her ratty, stuffed dog. It still smelled like her mother. _Her mother._

Suddenly, she sat up in her bed. Her morning daze quickly faded away as she began to remember. She looked around the still unfamiliar room, three walls with a grey and white imperial trellis design wallpaper — classic yet the colors made the room more modern looking — with a white molding. The fourth side of the room was covered in windows from floor to ceiling with a sliding glass door leading to a balcony. Eleana remembered that a lot of buildings in Metropolis were like that. She supposed National City was very similar. The dresser, desk and closet were all the same shade of white; the bed frame was a basic geometric design carved into more white painted wood. The carpeting was a dark blue-gray color with the bed spread plain and matching exactly. The quilt she was covered in was another shade of blue and gray with six inch panels of classic and modern patterns. 

A few landscape pictures hung on the walls; the one over the bed was a black and white photo of Metropolis. The one over the desk was a modern art piece, a painting with four different panels consisting of blue, white, red and brown circles and stripes. It was probably the only thing that had a dash of color throughout the entire room.

With a deep breath, Eleana pushed the quilt aside and slinked off the bed. The carpeting felt very rough and flat against the bottoms of her bare feet. With her dog still clutched in her right arm, she sat down in front of her backpack. Her eyes surveyed the images on the bag. There was a T-rex, a few pterodactyls, some characters she didn’t know, and of course the Jurassic Park logo. She had never really seen the movie; she never really watched movies. It’s hard to when you don’t have a television, but it didn’t bother her. From Jurassic Park to something called Star Wars, she would listen to kids talking about them at school and would just let her imagination put in the rest of the details. They would play games in the yard, and a bunch of the kids had Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Transformers, Barbie, Pony and so many other backpacks. They had a bunch of different ones with different dinosaurs, different colors, and some even had keychains. She had begged her mother for one almost every day, particularly Jurassic Park because that seemed the coolest at the time. She didn’t understand then, but they were just too expensive. Eventually, her mother had managed to find the bag in a back-to-school clearance bin for five dollars. It was six-years-later, but Eleana was grateful for her mother’s loving gesture. 

The young girl brushed her tangled curls behind her ears, reached for the backpack and unzipped it four fifths of the way. The last fifth at the end of the zipper had been broken for months after the ear of her stuff dog had gotten stuck. She pulled out a plain yellow tank top, a striped blue and green sweater, and a matching green skirt — she had grown out of everything else she owned and didn’t bother taking it. Finally, pulled back a piece of ripped lining from the bag to reveal a pack a fragile-looking papers bound up by a piece of string. She took them out and ran her fingers over the top; a pencil sketch study of lilacs that her mother drew from observing the bushes in front of their apartment. They were so detailed and delicate.

Suddenly, Eleana heard a loud metal clunk coming from the other side of her door. “Shit,” she heard a voice exclaim. Quietly, she emerged from her room and stepped down the hallway. Peeking her head around the corner, she found Lena kneeling on the linoleum floor wiping up what looked to be several broken eggs and some kind of batter. 

“Oh, hey.” Lena glanced up at the girl. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.” She stood up and tossed the handful of dirty towels in the sink and wiped her hands on her scarlet red apron with a grin.

“I was already up,” Eleana replied as she approached the island. The counters were crowded with metal bowls, measuring spoons and cups. There was a carton of milk, some flour, a half-full carton of eggs and an opened bag of chocolate chips. She looked up at the older woman’s smile.

“I… uh, made pancakes.” Lena said, looking around the kitchen until she finally turned around and found where she had set them down. With a mixed look of accomplishment and doubt, she offered the plate to the ten-year-old. The doubt grew as she looked at the pile of lumpy, kind of burnt, cakes and made a face. “Well, I tried to… I don’t… hmm.” She glanced at Eleana’s confused expression, raised her brow and went to dump the lumps of cooked batter into the trash can beside the counter. 

The girl watched the battered cakes fall of the plate and into the bin already filled to the brim with even more burnt and failed attempts. 

Lena then turned back to her niece and removed her apron. “Do you like doughnuts?”

O-o-O-o-O

Lena approached the tiny cafe table and set down a cup of hot liquid in front of her niece. She sat down across from the girl with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry I’m not much of a cook,” she admitted.

“It’s okay,” Ellie replied, her mouth stuffed with a piece of chocolate glazed pastry. “My mom didn’t really cook either. Most of what we ate was from can or made for the microwave.” She let out a small grin as she tore off another piece of doughnut, dunking it into her hot chocolate.

With a gentle chuckle, Lena sit contently watching the girl eat. This was the most she had ever been able to talk to her since returning to National City.

Bringing the hot coffee towards her lips, Lena’s eyes shifted towards the cafe windows. Several cameras peeked through, trying to get the best snapshot of National City’s newest young gossip piece. It seemed as if they had multiplied in the last thirty minutes. Lena was aware that with an infamous family and one of the most powerful corporations in the city, paparazzi and gossip was bound to happen. She had been through her share of it already and understood how to deal with it. But now—she glanced at the ten-year-old innocently sipping her hot chocolate—now she was nervous. Ellie was finally becoming comfortable, talking, even smiling once in awhile. Lena couldn’t allow this to become a “one step forward, two steps back” kind of situation. These parasites knew how to get to people.

“You okay to finish that while we walk?” Lena asked as she began to stand and collect her purse. The girl quickly nodded and followed suit.

As the pair swerved around tables and chairs, Ellie began to notice the stares coming from other patrons. Beyond the windows, cameras were flashing towards them.

“I really hope she doesn’t end up in the same school,” one woman whispered. “Goodness knows how mentally stable everyone in that family is…” It was clear that this woman wanted the pair to hear her.

Lena stiffened her muscles and clenched her jaw. She wanted no more than to shoot a vicious glare in the woman’s direction, but that would prove nothing. With a frustrating breath, she wrapped her arm around Ellie’s shoulder as they stepped out the door.

The sudden clicks and flashes made Ellie jump. “Just try to ignore them,” she heard her aunt’s voice say. _Flash, after flash, after flash._ The girl, unable to even blink, turned her head down and to the left. She felt Lena pull her closer to her body. She listened to the clicks of the cameras, the voices yelling out “Ms. Luthor! Ms. Luthor!” Even with her eyes closed, she could still see the flashes of light obstructing the darkness beneath her lids. She turned her head towards Lena’s side, trying to ignore the clicks and flashes and voices.

Without warning, Lena felt the girl suddenly bolt from her side. Her eyes widened as she watched the child push through the crowd of maddening strangers. “Ellie!” Lena yelled. Suddenly, something inside of her pulsed. She shoved two cameramen aside and began running after her.

Ellie continued running, refusing to look back. Her heart raced, her adrenaline pumped, she felt as if she might never be able to stop. Building after building, person after person whipped by her in a blur. She could still see spots from the camera flashes, and could taste the saltiness on her lips from the tears streaming down her face. “Ellie!” She could hear the voice calling, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop. Her hair whipped to the side as she ducked into a nearby alleyway. Suddenly, a gust of wind and a figure magically appearing in front of her made her stop. Her chest heaved as she let out a fearful scream, turned and tried to run again. She felt herself crash into the figure that appeared behind her. This time, the person grabbed her shoulders to prevent her from running again.

“Ellie!” the familiar voice said, though the child found herself too afraid to recognize it completely. “Hey. Hey,” Ellie continued to struggle. “Ellie, it’s me! It’s Lena!” Lena bent down so the frightened and tearful child could see her face. “It’s okay,” Lena sighed. “It’s okay. It’s just me.”

Finally, Ellie broke down from the shock. Wrapping her arms around the woman’s neck, she began to sob. Lena could feel the ten-year-old shaking in her arms. She gazed up at the familiar figure standing before them. The blonde alien in blue and red looked on with concern. But Lena did not need to worry about that then. She glanced at the figure thankfully before closing her eyes and placing her hand on her niece’s head the way a mother would cradle her baby. “It’s okay,” she whispered again. “You’re okay.”

O-o-O-o-O

Lena sat on the black leather loveseat in her office, her arm casually resting on the back while her hand brushed through her hair. Ellie sat beside her with both legs crossed. The girl looked at her aunt, her eyes clearly expressing deep thought, processing what she just heard.

“I didn’t want to have to tell you all of this so soon.” Lena shook her head. “I guess a piece of me was hoping… that things could be normal. Should have known better,” she scoffed to herself. Lena glanced at the young girl whose eyes seemed fixated on the chessboard in front of her. “I know,” she began, “this is a lot for you to take in and understand.”

“I understand,” the girl quickly replied. Finally, she looked up with a cold gaze, one that was all too familiar to Lena. “People think that there is something wrong with me because of my father. Don’t they? Because my father is Lex Luthor…”

Lena let out a sigh to give herself a moment to think through her response. She had never had to explain this situation to someone before, let alone a child. It had always been a fight she had to deal with on her own: Lena against the rest of the world. “Sometimes,” she began, “people like to think that things in the world are either black or white when in reality there are a lot of gray areas and a lot of complications.” She watched the girl’s brows furrow in confusion. _Another deep breath._ “The things that Lex… that your father did hurt a lot of people. Most of these things were unforgivable. And because of those things… people make assumptions about us.”

“What’re assumptions?”

Lena glanced out at the cityscape. “Assuming is like guessing. People guess things about us; they think that they know things about us that are often not true. Like those reporters today; most of the stories they write are fake. They spread gossip about us because we are related to him.”

“Even though they don’t know us?” Lena nodded. Ellie shifted her gaze back to the chessboard. “I don’t understand why people would judge us because of what he did. Shouldn’t it be because of what we do?” She reached forward to move the white knight along the board, taking out the opposing rook quite swiftly.

Lena smiled at the child’s intelligence. It was amazing that Ellie could manage to understand in a single conversation what the rest of the world still couldn’t understand after years of trying to convince them. “I don’t know,” she replied. “But I am hoping that, someday, people will be able to understand half as well as you do.”

“Ms. Luthor,” a voice suddenly interrupted the moment.

Both Lena and Ellie glanced up at the figure standing on the balcony. “Supergirl,” Lena greeted with a smile.

The caped alien stepped through the glass doors slowly. With a gentle smile, she nodded to the young executive. “I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay.”

Lena brushed her hand over Ellie’s hair and replied, “We are fine now. Thank you.”

Supergirl looked to the child sitting there. “I am sorry for frightening you earlier.”

Ellie shrugged with the shy smile. “It’s okay.” Looking carefully at the figure, she tilted her head. “Superman has that symbol on his chest.”

Lena replied. “Supergirl and Superman are cousins.”

“And you two are friends?” Ellie looked at her aunt curiously.

Lena simply nodded with a smirk. “Actually, she has saved my life a number of times,” she chuckled.

“Your aunt helped me save the city a few times too.”

A smile finally shined through on the girl’s face as she tucked a brown curl behind her ear. Lena could feel a sense of great relief from Supergirl’s presence. A clear friendship between a Super and Luthor; _that_ could give her hope. As Supergirl returned to the balcony, Lena mouthed the words _thank you_. Then with a burst of wind, the alien was gone.

Lena glanced back at the girl sitting beside her. “What do you say we start this day over again? We can do anything you want to do.”

Ellie smiled as her eyes connected with her aunt’s. “Can we watch Jurassic Park?”

Lena cocked her head and furrowed her brows. Of all the things they could possible do… “Okay,” she nodded with a chuckle. “Movie night it is then.”


	4. Chapter 4

Her new cashmere sweater hung down past her waist and a little over her hips; the sleeves devoured her hands forcing her to roll them up three times. The school store that Ellie and her aunt had been to only had that size and Lena had insisted; she said that Ellie could just grow into it. Lena had insisted on a lot of things that week, Ellie recalled as she slipped on her new turquoise flats. She stared over at her now fully stocked closet adorned with every possible outfit a ten-year-old girl could desire. Then she looked at herself in the five foot tall mirror by the dresser— which was also filled with new socks, underwear, and every color of solid camisole one could think of. 

She looked different, she thought to herself. Beneath the sweater was a white button up polo branded with an embroidered school symbol over her heart. She wore a pair of white tights with her plaid gray and green skirt. Lena had even bought her a set of silver bangle bracelets that she had been staring at in one of the boutiques over the weekend. It was overwhelming to say the least. Ellie turned to look at her side, pulling her skirt down in the back. She glanced over at the bed noticing the few pieces that remained of her old life: a ratty dog stuffed animal, a packet of pencil sketches, and an old backpack. She looked back at the mirror and felt the pang of guilt tighten in her chest. Ellie didn’t even need to ask twice about anything. She supposed it was Lena trying to be nice, trying to make her feel welcome, or something along that line. But it was all so new. A new school, new clothes, new people, new everything. She stepped over to the bed and zipped up her backpack, jiggling the zipper back and forth along the top where it would get jammed. _Don’t worry._ She thought to herself. _I won’t forget you._ She grabbed her backpack and headed into the kitchen where her aunt was waiting for her. 

“Look at you, rockin’ your new uniform,” Lena commented as the girl entered the room.

Ellie set her backpack down on one of the island chairs and sat at the counter with a smile. A spoon, bowl and box of Cheerios had already been put out.

As she listened to the rattling sound of cereal hitting the bowl, Lena jumped slightly. “Oh, forgot the milk.”

“I’m good,” Ellie commented as she picked up the spoon and began to eat the sugary grains as is. 

Lena set the milk back on the top shelf and shut the refrigerator door. “Okay,” she replied. After a slight pause, she grinned. “I have a surprise for you,” she said walking through the adjoining living room to the front door. She picked up something at the foot of the coat rack and then turned to her niece with a wide grin. In her hands was a pristine white and purple polka-dotted backpack; a little stuffed dog keychain hung from one of the zippers. “What do you think?” Lena asked. “I thought you could use a new one for your first day.”

Ellie stared at the bag and smiled uneasily as a courtesy. “I like my old backpack,” was all she said.

“Well,” Lena said, “I thought you might want one that’s not so broken and beat up.” She began to riffle through it. “It’s got lots of pockets for your books and—”

“Thanks,” Ellie interrupted. “But I really like the bag I have.”

Lena, caught a bit off guard, paused. Finally she nodded her head and set the bag down on the couch. “Okay. It’ll be easy enough to return.” She smiled to hide her slight disappointment. “Well, I’m going to finish getting ready,” she said with a sigh. “Then we can go meet up with Sam and Ruby. Okay?”

Lena watched her niece nod and, without another word, she exited the room.

O-o-O-o-O

“Good morning,” Sam greeted as Lena and Ellie approached.

Lena replied, “Hey,” with a nervous breath.

Sam smiled at Lena’s frantic expression and then looked to the ten-year-old standing beside her. “You must be Ellie,” she said. “I’m Sam and this is Ruby.”

Both girls said hello with a wave, Ruby’s a bit more confident than Ellie’s. 

“Ruby is going to take you to your class and show you around the school,” Lena chimed in. “How’s that sound?”

Ellie just silently nodded with a smile and then followed as Ruby lead the way into the building. After a few steps, she stopped and turned back. 

“I don’t have a lunch,” she quietly said.

Lena’s eyes widened with embarrassment. She had completely forgotten about that. Frozen like a deer in the headlights, she looked to her friend.

“She can buy a lunch,” the single mom informed her.

The young woman nodded and scrambled through her purse. After a minute of digging, she pulled out a twenty dollar bill— usually the only bill she ever carried— and handed to the child. 

“I don’t think I need this much,” Ellie commented.

“It’s fine,” Lena replied, gesturing for the girl to head inside as the bell began to ring. “I’ll see you after school!” she called watching Ellie run to catch up with Ruby. Once the girls were out of sight, Lena turned to face her friend. With a frustrated sigh, she crossed her arms and shook her head. “I can’t believe I forgot to make her a lunch.”

Leading her friend back down the sidewalk, Sam chuckled. “It happens to the best of us,” she reassured her. “You’re still getting used to the whole parenting gig.”

Lena bowed her head, staring at her feet as they walked. “Things seemed like they were going fine for the past few days. She was opening up and talking a little. We went shopping for new clothes, got her uniform, watched movies together….” She furrowed her brow and glanced back up. Across the street was a woman walking hand-in-hand with her two young children. The boy— probably a kindergartener— was jumping and skipping the whole way. The daughter smiled as she talked to her mother. It was like a perfect scene from a perfect movie. Then the reality of her own life returned. “There’s still a distance,” she said still staring. “...things I want to know about her.” 

Again, Sam laughed, “You’ve only been Ellie’s guardian for a few weeks. You’re still getting to know her and she’s still learning to trust you.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Ruby is thirteen, and I _still_ don’t know every little thing. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Her mind flashed back to her childhood— far from a picture perfect family. Distant was simply another way of defining a Luthor. By the time she was Ellie’s age, Lena had accepted the fact that compassion and love were signs of weakness, though the desire for those things never strayed from her mind. She wanted a different life for Ellie. But for Lena, there was always that fear that she couldn’t be more than just a Luthor.

“I just… don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to get to that point with her.” 

“Just give it time. I know you’re used to quick results and firm answers in the business world, but I’m gonna tell you now, kids are the complete opposite.”

Lena grinned, knowing her friend was completely right. She just wouldn’t admit it. 

“They are always changing. Once you think you know what you’re doing, they throw a curveball at you and you’re back to trying to figure them out.” She watched the woman walking beside her chuckle. “Hey. You always have me if you need help.” She looked into her anxious friend’s eyes. “I know from experience that it’s tough being a single mom, but I also know that you are more than capable of figuring it out.”

Swallowing back her fear, Lena smiled at her friend. “Thank you.”

Sam, gently nudging the other woman’s arm with her elbow, replied, “It’s what friends are for.”

O-o-O-o-O

Ellie had followed Ruby through hallways, around corners, and up flights of stairs for what she believed to be the longest eight minutes of her life. The school was an inconceivable maze, with Ellie as the confused little lab rat looking for the exit. 

“You don’t talk much,” Ruby commented as the girls stopped at a set of red lockers lining what she had called the seventh grade hallway.

Ellie looked around at the older students yelling, roughhousing, laughing, slamming lockers. “Just trying to get used to this,” she replied. 

The older of the two smiled as she lifted the latch and opened the door to her locker. “I get that. New school, new people-”

“New everything,” Ellie sighed. 

“Yeah,” Ruby replied apologetically. “You’ll get used to it after a little while. I promise.”

Ellie managed a small grin and nodded.

“C’mon,” Ruby slammed her locker close and gestured to the newbie, “I can show you to your classroom. The principle said that I could show you stuff this week and make sure you get the hang of getting around the school. So when the bell rings you just hang outside the classroom and wait for me. I’ll try to get there as soon as I can.”

With another grin, Ellie replied, “Thanks.”

“No problem,” the girl shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal. “I wish I had had someone willing to help me when I first got here.” They turned the corner and headed into the fifth grade wing of the school. “You also got the best teacher in the fifth grade. Ms. Wilson is really sweet and will help you with anything.” 

The girls stopped at one of the classroom doors. They all looked alike, so goodness knows how long it would take Ellie to get the hang of finding it. Before walking away, Ruby reminded the younger girl to hang out outside of the classroom for her and wished her luck. Her stomach began to churn the moment Ruby was out of sight. Ellie slowly stepped into the doorway cluching her books tightly to her chest so as to hide how much her hands were actually shaking. Fifteen sets of eyes were glued to her instantly, though she refused to make contact with any of them. Her glance remained on the floor or the unfamiliar walls surrounding her. She approached the teacher’s desk nervously and without a word.

The woman seemed like she gave a calm energy. Her wavy dirty blonde hair fell to her shoulders, tangled in a pair of large silver hooped earring. She was a younger teacher, maybe a little older than Lena, who wore a soft blue blouse with quarter length sleeves and a set of silver and gold bangles that clanged together as she brushed her hair behind her ear. Her face was round but still lean against her jawline. When she smiled towards Ellie, the woman’s dimples became highly noticeable. Her large brown eyes possessed no sense of harshness whatsoever.

“Hi there,” she greeted, her voice just as calm as her disposition.

“Hi,” Ellie replied shyly.

“Are you my new student?” The woman asked as she skimmed through the student roster on her desk. “Eleana… Luthor.”

It took Ellie a moment to process before she replied. “I like to be called Ellie.” She had never heard anyone say her _new_ full name before. 

The teacher nodded with a quick grin. “Well it’s nice to meet you, Miss Luthor.”

Again, the girl’s mind jolted slightly. _Luthor._ With that, she managed a smile and nodded. _Luthor._

O-o-O-o-O

Ellie’s day was typical for a first. Her homeroom teacher was sweet just as Ruby said; she had helped her by explaining catch up assignments and the best ways to approach them, continuously checked in to make sure Ellie understood and didn’t fall behind, and even paired her with good students during group work. It had seemed like the day wasn’t going to be bad whatsoever, but, of course, that was only the first two hours of the day. 

After the third period bell rang, Ellie waited outside of Ms. Wilson’s class for Ruby. The hallways bustled with students from fifth to eighth grade. It reminded her a lot of the Metropolis subway station at rush hour. For the moment, Ellie found herself content rather than nervous as she stood there with a smile on her face. Though the smile faded quickly as an eighth grade boy brushed by her without a thought and shoved her back hard. She looked up as he continued walking with a mischievous grin, but she shook it off the moment Ruby greeted her and brought her to the auditorium for PE. 

Ellie was not the athletic nor the competitive type, but in a class of sixty fifth graders, she figured she wasn’t the only one. They were playing indoor soccer, separated into four teams that switched off in two minute games. She wasn’t the kind of girl who was afraid of the ball, though she wasn’t one of the kids who showed off their skills either. She was average and prefered being that way. PE, though not her favorite class, was very enjoyable for a girl like Ellie. Stresses and struggles of the day or the week could just be kicked away or she could run laps until she forgot what she was upset about in the first place.

Ruby had been waiting for her outside of the locker rooms. With a kind grin she asked Ellie how she liked gym and with a smile Ellie said that it was actually fun with so many kids. The girls stopped by their lockers, Ellie sort of getting the handle on how to open the thing, and made their way to the library where tech classes were held. Ruby explained that the school required tech courses and that Lena’s company was actually responsible for providing the devices they worked with. Ellie thought it might be interesting to learn. She knew nothing about technologies and sciences because her previous school couldn’t afford it. It had been a lower level school, public, free. The moment she had walked into this place, she knew it was going to be far different.

The girl’s technologies teacher was nothing like Ms. Wilson, however. The man was about the same age, dark hair, pale skin, shorter than average. He wore a plaid button down tucked into a pair of khakis. His voice had a commanding presence and he seemed very laid back with certain students, yet something about him made Ellie a little uneasy. He acted particularly indifferent to her, though she could sense that he didn’t like her right away— like a five minute introduction could help him determine if he liked someone. He informed her of where to sit, and for some reason didn’t look her in the eye. When she raised her hand for questions, he ignored her, but then called on her in moments when she had no answer. It felt like a very strange game.

Ruby was allowed to take a different lunch so that she could show Ellie the cafeteria and how to buy lunches and such. It was significantly more comforting having her there because the cafeteria was like a madhouse, worse than the hallways during class changes because at least then students were moving. There they were all in one area, screaming and laughing, acting like little animals. She supposed she just didn’t understand the appeal to it.

It was a bit of relief knowing that she was returning to Ms. Wilson’s class for the remainder of the school day. Math and reading… she could handle those, they made sense. At the end of the day, she wished her teacher well and thanked her for her help with a smile. She then waited for Ruby before leaving the school to find their adults.

The girls ran to meet up at the same spot they had been dropped off. Sam greeted her daughter with open arms and a loving embrace as she kissed her on the head. Lena stood with a sense of hesitance, her hands tucked into the pockets of her crimson coat. Ellie approached her with a smile.

As they went their separate directions and said goodbye, Lena began her somewhat rehearsed and stilted questioning. “So, how was your first day?”

The question was genuine, though clearly forced. She was trying her hardest to be a _normal_ parent, whatever that really meant. The young woman had seen it in various movies and tv shows, though she was aware that she couldn’t base her parenting on only that. Her parents never inquired about those things when she was a child, so she figured it was safe to assume that normal parents did ask that question.

Ellie glanced up at her aunt with a smile. “I liked it,” she replied simply. 

Her mother had always asked her about her day. It had become such a routine, that Ellie had once asked her mother if moms _had_ to ask their kids that question every day. Her mother would reply that they didn’t, and when Ellie asked why she asked about it then, she would reply that she just genuinely wanted to know. It was as simple as that.

“It’s really big,” she added.

“Ruby helped you find your classes, though?” Lena inquired. 

Ellie nodded. “She said she would help me for the rest of the week until I get the hang of it.”

“Good. I’m happy to hear that,” Lena replied with a smile. “So what about your teachers? Do you like them?”

The girl looked up at the older brunette walking beside her and noticed the sense of discomfort in her eyes. Her shoulders were tensed up and she was blinking more than usual. Ellie shook her head and said, “If you don’t really want to know, you shouldn’t ask.”

Suddenly, Lena’s blue-green eyes met with the girl’s. With a confused expression, she asked, “What made you think I don’t want to?”

The child shrugged her shoulders. “Just because I’m ten, it doesn’t mean I can’t sense certain things. I’m smarter than you think.”

Lena let out an embarrassed laugh under her breath. “I never doubted that.” She paused and thought about what to say next. “This…” she removed a hand from her pocket and brushed it through her hair. “This is still new to me. And I am not sure if what I’m doing, what I’m saying, is right.”

Ellie stopped walking and looked up at the woman. “You don’t have to try so hard, you know.”

Lena stopped and stared at the girl with a small sense of awe. Believe it or not the ten-year-old was thinking more clearly than she was. She supposed this _normal_ parent stuff was a bit out of her league. Her perfectionism seemed to get the better of her.

“I’m sorry if I made it seem that way,” Lena replied. “But I _do_ genuinely want to know these things.”

“Then it’s as simple as that,” the girl said with a grin. As they began walking again, Ellie continued, “Most of my teachers are really nice.”

Lena smiled at her niece and began to listen.


	5. Chapter 5

The smell of fresh cinnamon wafted throughout the kitchen of the high end National City loft. Two freshly made pieces of french toast, orange slices, and a cup of orange juice were set elegantly on the serving tray she had managed to find in the cabinet beside the stove. She pinched her fingers into the cinnamon sugar bowl and sprinkled a final touch on the syruped toast. 

With a satisfied grin, Ellie carefully lifted the tray and hopped down the from her cooking stool— one she had found under the sink and rightful designated to herself. Her soft and gently curled pigtails bounced against her shoulders as she moved down the hallways towards the second bedroom on the left. Luckily, the door was already opened a crack, saving the ten-year-old from the struggle that would have undoubtedly ended in a heartbreaking mess on her aunt’s cream-colored carpeting. 

“Lena?” The girl called out as she slowly pushed open the bedroom door. She peeked inside and began to approach the still sleeping lump beneath the silver and emerald comforter. “Lena?” she asked again. The lump made a mumbling noise the girl couldn’t understand and began to very slowly emerge. 

The still sleepy-eyed brunette urged her body to sit up and brush her thick black mess of hair back and to the right. She rolled over to the still neatly made left side of the bed and reached for her glasses on table beside it. Once fixed on her face, the woman let out a morning yawn and brushed her fingers through her hair once more before noticing the little set up in her niece’s hands. 

“What’s up?” Lena’s brows furrowed as the young girl approached the bed with a wide smile.

“I made you breakfast,” she said proudly. “Happy Sunday.” She handed over the awkwardly shaped food tray—perhaps it was because she simply had shorter arms.

Still somewhat confused, Lena asked, “What?”

“Have you never had Sunday breakfast before?” The girl replied as she sat down beside the woman.

Lena looked over the spread and chuckled. “We eat breakfast every day.”

“Sunday breakfast is different,” Ellie shook her head. Shrugging her shoulders, she gestured to the plate. “It was something my mom and I did every week. The only day she didn’t have to go into work in morning because she took a later shift. Every Sunday I would make her french toast, slice up whatever fruit we had in the fridge, with a cup of orange juice.”

She stared at the young girl with warmth in her heart. She held back the tears welling from the mixture of shock and tiredness, took a deep breath, and let the tightening in her chest pass. She pulled herself together and made a quick comeback, “You didn’t seriously cook this.”

Ellie lifted her brow combatively. “I said _my mom_ couldn’t cook,” she replied. “Believe it or not I know my way around a stovetop.”

“At ten-years-old?” Lena chuckled.

“I’m a fast learner,” the girl replied with a hint of joking smugness. As her smile began to fade, her hazel-green eyes focused on the glass of orange juice balancing in front of her. “I’ve been afraid of forgetting my mom,” she admitted. 

“Ellie-” Lena quickly placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder for reassurance. 

“I know,” Ellie quickly stopped her. “I can’t really forget her. She’s my mom. But, so many things have been changing since she died… and I feel like with all these new things, I’m losing all of the old ones… the things that have her in them. My house, my clothes, my backpack…” 

Lena’s gaze fell to her lap as she recalled Ellie’s refusal of her first day gift at the beginning of the week. She finally understood. “It was a lot of change all at once.”

The child nodded her head. “But then on Monday, you said something that reminded me of my mom.”

“What did I say?” Lena asked curiously.

“You said that you _genuinely_ wanted to know things about me and listen to me.”

“That’s because I do.”

Ellie smiled. “It just reminded me that… _stuff_ doesn’t have to be the only thing that helps me remember her.”

Lena gently placed her arm around her niece’s shoulder and gestured for her to come into a closer embrace. She rested her cheek atop the girl’s soft brown hair. As they parted, she looked straight into Ellie’s eyes and said, “I’m sorry if my attempts to make you feel welcome made you feel like you were forgetting your mother. I would _never_ want that.” She brushed her hand through the girl’s hair and gently through her left pigtail.

“Thanks,” Ellie replied softly.

With a nod and smile, Lena mouthed, “Okay,” with a gentle sigh. Looking back down at the tray resting in her lap, she said, “We better dig in before this amazing Sunday breakfast gets cold.” Cutting a corner piece with her fork. “I think the chef should have the first bite.” She held the piece out. 

“No, you have to,” Ellie chuckled as she reached for an orange slice.

“Oh, part of the Sunday breakfast rules?” She watched the child nod as she nursed the piece of fruit. “You’re going to have to give me all of the details so that I don’t make any mistakes.” She brought the piece to her lips with a grin. “Why don’t you tell me the story of how this all started with your mom?”

Ellie looked to Lena, orange rind covering her sweet smile. In between bites, she narrated the memories of her late mother to her new aunt. Every little detail was shared until every inch of the plate was devoured. 

O-o-O-o-O

“We will just be a second,” Lena said as she opened the door to her executive office.

As the young woman made her way to her desk in a quick fashion, Ellie looked around. Of course she had been there before, though the last time she was far too distracted to allow her curiosity to take hold. To the right of the doorway was a wall of shelving that held interesting trinkets and even a few gizmos. The technology and decor was laid out in a very formal and neat way. Lena had an eye for design and ensured that everything had a place. 

There really wasn’t much else. Lena didn’t have any photos in her office, not on the shelves or her desk. There were paintings, very modern like the ones in the apartment, but none of them really screamed “personal” to Ellie. The room inself, much like her bedroom, was rather… gray. 

“Okay,” the girl heard the woman mumble to herself, “I could have sworn…”

Lena continued to fumble through her files. She was looking for some important something or other; Ellie really didn’t always follow what Lena explained when it came to her work. The girl slowly walked along the wall, observing the setup as her hand dragged along the narrow countertop in front of it. 

Ellie stopped midway when her eyes met with a tiny metal container before her. The girl turned around and glanced at her aunt. The woman was far too focused on her own business to notice. Ellie, allowing her curiosity to get the better of her, pressed down on the lid and watched it smoothly open up to her. Inside was a small gadget that looked kind of like a computer mouse marked with the L Corp logo. It was lighter than she expected as she picked it up slowly. She looked for a button or something that might turn it on, but couldn’t seem to find anything. The front area had some kind of screen. Ellie pressed down on it thinking that maybe it needed to click like a mouse. The device, though it didn’t click, suddenly flashed red and let out a beep that would clearly grab Lena’s attention. Ellie quickly turned back around and met Lena’s gaze. 

The woman uncrossed her arms when she noticed the slight guilt appear in her niece’s eyes. “While I like seeing that you are interested in my inventions,” she began as she approached the girl, “I want you to ask me next time.”

“Sorry,” Ellie quickly replied. She handed the device over. “What is it?”

Lena took the object and grinned at Ellie’s curious nature. “It’s an alien detection device. Actually, it was one of the first pieces of tech I created after I moved to National City.” She sighed.

“So it figures out if you’re a human or an alien?”

Lena nodded. “Not every alien is like Supergirl. Some are dangerous, and I wanted to be able to… protect people. At least… that was my philosophy when I made it.”

“Some _people_ are dangerous too, though. Like my father.”

The dark haired woman smiled as she turned the device in her hands. She watched the skin test turn green and beep as she unintentionally set her thumb on it. “And that is why I decided not to send it to market. It’s better to hope that someone has good in them rather than assuming they are fundamentally bad.” 

Lena placed the object back into the case and shut it securely. As she looked to her niece, she noticed an odd expression on the girl’s face. 

“What’s up?” she asked.

Ellie glanced at the box and then to her aunt. “When I touched-”

Suddenly a third voice interrupted the conversations. “Excuse me, Ms. Luthor.”

Lena looked toward the office door. A male figure stood there with a long brown trench coat, his hands hidden in the pockets. The older woman placed her hands on her niece’s shoulders and gently pulled her close in a protective manner.

“Can I help you?” She asked.

“There are a few matters I wish do discuss with you,” he replied in a soft Australian-like accent. As he stepped further into the room, his round face came into the light. His brown hair was buzzed like some sort of military man, his gaze looked harsh and cold. Dark stubble framed his jaw matching the circular shadows beneath his brown eyes.

With a firm tone, Lena replied, “Well, I’m sorry, I don’t take meetings on Sundays. You are welcome to call my assistant tomorrow morning to schedule-”

“My matters are not of business, Ms. Luthor,” he looked in Ellie’s direction, which forced Lena’s grip on the girl’s shoulders harder. “They are of a more personal matter.” He looked back to the woman with a mischievous grin. “My employer… Mr. Luthor sent me.”


	6. Chapter 6

The room fell dead silent. Lena could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she took another step towards her niece. She pressed her body against the girl’s back, still gripping her shoulders securly. Though in that sudden moment she couldn’t show it, her instantaneous responses surprised her. She had never been so protective of another person in her life. The woman’s instinctive coldness kicked in as the dark figure slowly approached. She could show no fear and she needed to be prepared to do whatever was necessary to protect Ellie. 

“I can assure you, Ms. Luthor, I am not here to harm you,” the man claimed.

With a tilt of her head, Lena replied, “Considering my brother’s priors, I find that hard to believe…”

He raised a brow and replied, “Believe what you like. I am only here to insure that Mr. Luthor’s,” his eyes migrated towards the young girl standing before him, “ _assets_ are well looked after.” He grinned.

Lena clenched her jaw at his profound and unsubtle gesture. She wanted no more than to slap that disgusting grin off of his face. With a restrained breath, she bowed her head toward Ellie and said, “Sweetie, go sit at my desk while I take care of this.” 

The girl turned around looking up at her aunt with a concerned expression. She shook her head slightly so as to protest the woman’s request. Lena threw a stern look in response. Ellie crossed her arms over her chest and, though she didn’t want to, complied with her guardian’s order. As she sat in the strangely tall and sleek black chair, the child anxiously watched the two adults step to the far end of the room.

“Stubborn little firecracker-” The man began to comment.

“Don’t,” Lena interrupted with a firm and frustrated voice. “Lex gave up every right to his _assets_ the moment he decided that an innocent human life was just collateral damage in his obsessive battle against Superman.”

The man raised his brow. “I see where she gets it from.”

Lena defensively crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips. “I don’t care what my brother wants from us. It doesn’t matter how many minions or henchmen he sends to National City. He is never going to lay a finger on that child.”

He let her give her speech; he couldn’t have stopped her anyway. Anyone who had worked for a Luthor knew that there was no point in trying to interrupt once they were fired up. For very logical people, they lost all sense reason when it came to their anger. The man dug into his pocket and silently pulled out a card. He held it up between two fingers. After a moment of silence, he replied, “Sooner or later, Ms. Luthor, you will _have_ to care.” 

Though she was confused by the man’s reply, Lena refused to falter. Her arms remained firm as she pridefully stared him down. 

He had to admire her persistence. With another grin, he nodded his head and stepped passed her, making his way towards the desk. She briskly scurried after him but quickly stopped when she watched him set the card in front of Ellie. He turned back to Lena and noticed the rage fuming in the young woman’s eyes.

“Get out,” she demanded.

With a second nod, the man finally complied. The moment the door clicked shut, Ellie burst out of the desk chair and crashed into Lena’s arms.

Lena rested her chin on top of the child’s soft hair and held her tightly. “It’s alright. He’s not going to bother us again.”

Ellie lifted her head and stared into her aunt’s blue-green eyes. “Why didn’t you let me stay with you? What if he came to hurt you?”

The woman chuckled softly, brushing a tiny stray hair behind the child’s ear. “Because my job is to protect you.”

Shaking her head, Ellie replied. “That’s not very smart.”

Lena’s eyes widened from the girl’s sudden bluntness. “Excuse me?” Most children would hug her, or say “thank you” or “I love you”... but not her kid.

The ten-year-old shrugged, her arms still secure around her aunt’s waist. “Because we need to protect each other.” She rested her head against Lena’s shoulder once more. “Who would take care of me if you’re gone…”

The older brunette shut her eyes tightly as she felt her niece’s arms tighten around her. She had forgotten. For so many years, Lena had believed that because she had nothing to lose, she could risk putting herself out there. It made her the remarkable business woman she was because so few people could do the same. But now, there was so much she had to consider. She couldn’t let her pride get in the way.

Lena brought her hand to the girl’s head and kissed it gently. “I’m not going anywhere,” she replied.

O-o-O-o-O

She had let Ellie pick what they were going to do for the rest of day. It was the only way she could think to get the girl’s mind off of what had happened in the office. Lena followed her niece down the long strip mall corridor, her shoulders tense as she gazed around uncomfortably. Her heels clicked and echoed with every step as they passed by window after window of bargain clothing, video game, and shoe stores. She had to admit… it was different. The paparazzi would surely never think to find Luthors in such a common place.

Ellie took a hold of Lena’s hand and pulled her along, her smile brighter than Lena had ever seen before. “Come on!” the girl beckoned, yanking the woman through the doors to one of the clothing stores. The girl led the older woman to the back of the small store, stopping when they reached the tall shelves of folded jeans in assorted colors. 

“Okay…” Lena looked over to the child smiling widely at her. “What are we doing here? I just bought you a ton of new clothes a few weeks ago.”

“I know,” Ellie shrugged. “We’re here for you.”

The brunette pursed her lips for a moment. “I have plenty of clothes.”

“You don’t wear pants.”

Lena’s eyes widened with denial. “Yes, I do.”

“Sweatpants and leggings as pajamas don’t count.” The child replied in a particularly sassy tone as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Ellie,” Lena persisted, “I wear pants.”

“Your one pair of fancy work pants doesn’t count either,” she argued.

“I have more than one,” Lena continued to argue. _They are just both black and the same exact style,_ she thought to herself. But if the child was anything like she was… she wasn’t going to be leaving this store until she bought a damn pair of pants.

Ellie gestured towards the wall, then looked back at her aunt. “Pick something.”

Lena huffed and rolled her eyes before finally agreeing to browse the shelves. She started to reach for a pair of black jeans.

“Different color,” the bossy ten-year-old commented. She shrugged the moment Lena shot a glare at her. “You _always_ wear black.”

Shaking her head, Lena crossed her arms and replied, “Why don’t you pick for me then?”

Ellie’s smile widened, as if she had been hinting and waiting for Lena to say that. She scurried over to the right side of the wall, got up on the tips of her toes and pulled out a pair that Lena guessed she had probably been eyeing the entire time. 

The girl turned back to her aunt holding a pair of light olive-green jeans. Lena stared with some hesitance in her eyes. “Just _try_ them,” Ellie insisted. “It’s not going to kill you.”

Lena took the pants and held them against her waist. The style was nice, thinned down her leg and would hug her ankles. She nodded to the child and began to look around for the dressing rooms.

“Wait!” Ellie exclaimed as she began to run down another row of clothes. Lena jumped suddenly and tried to keep up with the overly excited girl. “You need a shirt!”

Lena sighed as the child began to rummage through a rack of themed t-shirts and tank tops. This was going to be a very new experience for her, but she couldn’t deny seeing the pure excitement in those hazel-green eyes.

O-o-O-o-O

As time went on, the young executive found herself growing somewhat more comfortable in the outfit. Ellie had managed to convince Lena to wear the new clothes right out of the store. The girl had picked out two shirts for her aunt to try on, the first being a white Princess Leia t-shirt with black trim along the collar and sleeves. It read _I don’t need rescuing_ with a image of the iconic princess. Lena couldn’t doubt that it was a great shirt, and admired her niece’s taste in female role models. The second was a plain white AC/DC tank top that hung loosely over her torso. She admitted it was incredibly comfortable compared to her usual form fit dresses.

Neither could pick the best one once Ellie decided to add a denim jacket to the whole ensemble. Eventually Lena just agreed to get both, but then Ellie had to go pick a second pair of jeans, this time a red pair in the same style. She decided to wear the Leia shirt with the green pants and the jacket, saving the second set of clothes for another time.

“Chicken nuggets, french fries, and a chocolate shake,” Ellie stated, looking up at the food stall menu. Lena took a bit longer to decide, though she eventually just got the same thing the ten-year-old had picked. It wasn’t like she had any experience with this kind of… food. It seemed best to just follow the example of her “expert guide”.

They sat down in the middle of the food court only after Lena compulsively wiped down the table and chairs. It made Ellie chuckle viewing her aunt in such a different atmosphere. 

Lena glared at the girl with a stern eye as she sat across from her. Suddenly she watched the child take off the cover to her shake, lick the straw clean and set it down on the food tray. Her brows furrowed as she watched Ellie take a french fry and dunk it into the thick dessert drink.

After popping the fry into her mouth, Ellie looked over at her aunt’s curious expression. Without a word she took another, dunked it, and held it out for the woman to take. Lena, though she was very hesitant, figured that she had already been willing to do so much she normally wouldn’t. Why not this too? She very elegantly took a bite of the salty-sweet treat. She found herself surprised at the delightful taste and nodded.

“Oh,” Lena said, “have to wash my hands.” She began to stand up and look around for the restrooms. “You’re okay by yourself just for second?”

Ellie nodded, her mouth full of chicken. As she watched her aunt turn and walk away, the girl glanced around the food court. People sat and ate, talked, some looked at their phones. A few very young children played on the little mechanical rides over by the entrance. 

When Lena returned, she suggested that Ellie wash her hands as well. Though she was reluctant, she did so. She had already eaten half of her food, so she didn’t entirely see the point. But it wasn’t worth the arguing. 

Before she could even make it to the restrooms; however, she noticed something she didn’t see before when she had been looking around. It was a community piano painted in bright rainbow stripes. People’s name were written and carved into the sides and it looked as though it may have been climbed on a few times too. 

With no one else there, the child felt the urge to move closer. She stroked the top of the monstrous thing all the way down to the sides until her fingers met the keys. She gently pressed down on one, listening to the smooth echoing hum.

Ellie had always begged her mother to learn an instrument. It didn’t matter what, she just loved music and wanted to learn. But, as most things went, her mother couldn’t afford to pay for music lessons let alone any type of instrument. The girl settled for sitting in the car listening to the classical station. Her mother would let Ellie sit there after she shut the engine off to listen for as long as the radio would stay on before automatically shutting off. The girl would close her eyes and hum the measures, tapping her foot to the down beats. 

She touched a few more keys. Though she had never formally learned, she seemed to hear the notes and understand how the piano played them. Suddenly she was sitting there as if in a trance, listening to the sound every single key made as she ran her fingers from left to right. Ellie closed her eyes and tried to remember and hear the melody in her head. Her fingers found the first few notes. When she missed, she would try once more. Soon, the song flowed from her brain to her fingers, like some strange sort of magic. The feeling was mesmerizing, as if her mind and body had become one, though there was more to it than that. She continued to play.

After a couple of minutes, Lena began to nervously look around for her niece. Quickly, she placed the food back in their paper bags, grabbed the two drinks and began to wander towards the restrooms.

She stopped when her eyes finally locked onto those familiar brown curls and the blue and green striped sweater she had recently bought. The sound of Pachelbell’s _Cannon in D_ played in the air. It wasn’t until she began to approach Ellie that she fully noticed what the child was doing. The bright colors of the oversized instrument had thrown her off. Again she stopped. Her head tilted to the left as she watched the little girl’s fingers glide gracefully along the keys as if it had been something she’d practiced for years. She couldn’t help but smile as she listened to the beautiful and perfectly rendered melody.

As Ellie brought the song to a smooth finish, Lena stepped around the piano. The child glanced up with a slight apprehensive look. She couldn’t read her aunt’s expression entirely, so she prepared herself for a lecture about wandering off. However, the words that came out of Lena’s mouth were entirely different.

“I didn’t know you could play.”

The girl’s muscles relaxed as she looked down at the keys. “Me neither.” She shrugged.

Lena shook her head and chuckled as she sat down beside Ellie. “There is no doubt that you are a Luthor.” She started to fiddle with some of the piano keys.

“Do you play?”

The young woman raised a brow and grinned at her niece. “I did once,” she replied. “When I was growing up, being a Luthor meant understanding every aspect of elegance, art, and intelligence.” She began to play a slow and simple version of Mozart’s _Turkish March_ with her right hand. “I took lessons in piano, ballet, violin; I learned Mandarin; and of course etiquette lessons.”

Ellie cringed, “That sounds awful.”

“They were,” Lena laughed. “As I got older though, I eventually stopped. They were never things I was passionate about.”

“Like your inventions and stuff?”

“Even before those… I just fell in love with the science of it all. Biochemistry, chemical-engineering…”

“It’s your _thing,_ ” the girl replied.

“Exactly.” Lena smiled at her.

Ellie listened carefully as her aunt continued play a much slower version of the song she had heard before. She placed her left hand over a key and tested it. Another… then another… until she met the same measure. 

Again, Lena smiled watching the girl so naturally play along. It seemed as though they didn’t have to look very hard to find _her_ thing.

O-o-O-o-O

**Three Weeks Later**

Lena struggled to unlock the door while trying to keep a hand over her niece’s eyes and not bump into the girl’s overfilled backpack. She leaned forward, pushing the door open, accidentally slamming it against the wall. “Oh crap,” she mumbled, trying not to knock Ellie to the ground.

“Can I look yet?” The girl impatiently asked. 

“No,” Lena replied, kicking the door shut. She led the girl over to the other end of the living room, where her home office was once all set up. With a wide grin on her lips, the young woman couldn’t hold her excitement any longer. “Okay,” she said, pulling her hand away from the child’s eyes. “Open.”

Suddenly, a gasp escaped from Ellie’s mouth. Jaw agape and eyes wider than ever, the ten-year-old slowly walked over to the new baby grand piano nestled in the living room corner. She caressed her right hand over the sleek black cover. Her fingers moved over the grooves of the elegantly carved music stand. “It looks like one of my mom’s drawings.”

Lena stepped forward. “That because it is,” she replied. The child’s eyes lit up as she looked at her aunt. “I had the stand crafted after one of her flower drawings in your room. The lilacs, I think.”

Ellie nodded, “That’s one of my favorites.” She couldn’t stop moving her hand along the relief. “Is this really mine?” 

Lena nodded and smiled.

With another deep breath, the girl instantly crashed into the older woman’s arms. “I can’t believe you did all of this for me.” She felt Lena brush her fingers through her hair and kiss the top of her head. “I love you so much. Thank you,” she spoke softly into the woman’s jacket collar.

Lena let out a tearful sigh, “I love you too, sweetie.”


End file.
